Shirning

           ThesensewithwhichIarrivedatShirningFarm—theonethattoldmethatmostofmytroubleswerenowover—isinterestingonlyinshowinghowwideofthemarkasensecanbe.ThesweepingofJosellaintomyarmswentoffprettywell,butitscorollaryofcarryingherawayforthwith.tojointheothersatTynshamdidnot,forseveralreasons.

           EversinceherpossiblelocationhadoccurredtomeIhadpicturedher—in,Imustadmit,arathercinematicway—asbattlingbravelyagainstalltheforcesofnature,etcetera,etcetera.Inafashion,Isupposeshewas,butthesetupwasalotdilierentfrommyimaginings.Mysimpleplanofsaying:

           "Jumpaboard.We’reofftojoinCokerandhislittlegang,"hadtogobytheboard.Onemighthaveknownthatthingswouldnotturnoutsosimply—ontheotherhand,itissurprisinghowoftenthebetterthingisdisguisedastheworse.

           NotthatIdidn’tfromthestartpreferShirningtothethoughtofTynsham—yettojoinalargergroupwasobviouslyasoundermove.ButShirningwascharming.Theword"farm"hadbecomeacourtesytitlefortheplace.Ithadbeenafarmuntilsometwenty-fiveyearsbefore,anditstilllookedlikeafarm,butinrealityithadchangedintoacountryhouse.SussexandtheneighboringcountieswerewelldottedwithsuchhousesandcottageswhichtiredLondonershadfoundadaptabletotheirneeds.Internallythebuildingbadbeenmodernizedandreconstructedtoapointwhereitwasdoubtfulwhetheritsprevioustenantswouldbeabletorecognizeasingleroom.